I first decided not to write the story behind the photo, because it's so long ;)
But on the other hand, this situation is propably one of the best experiences I've had on my nature photography "career", so here's the story anyway (sorry about some mistakes in the language):
On sunday I visited Hannu Hautala’s (a famous “veteran” nature photographer in Finland) hide in Posio Korouoma canyon. There’s a feeder where you have a possibility to photograph Black Woodpecker, Siberian Jays and other smaller birds. After a hot and sweaty half an hour walk (I was wearing one pullover too much) I reached the hide and stopped to take a look at the hide which was standing just a couple of meters away from the edge of a cliff. Then I noticed a brown thing in front of the hide, just about 4 meters away from me. While still trying to identify the subject it moved. Suddenly I realized I was staring at the head of an adult Golden Eagle. My camera was in my backpack, would I be able to reach it in time? Well, the eagle gave me the answer. It turned it’s head, noticed me and flew away. Phew, what an experience! Those only happen in your dreams.
Well, i went in to the hide and got quite a few nice photos of Black Woodpeckers, which was the main target species on this trip. I was photographing a femal BW, when suddenly all the birds fled. I looked out of the window and saw how a Golden Eagle made a turn in the middle of the canyon, came straight towards me and landed just a couple of meters away from the hide. I slowly backed away from the window. At this moment I started to notice some serious shake in my hands and my pulse rose quite a bit.
I looked at the camera. I was relieved to notice that it was pointing to that exact place, where now just about two meters away was sitting an adult Golden Eagle. The body was attached to a 300mm lens...
I waited for a while. Then I heard a small sound and looked out of the window. The eagle was eating the fat (I don’t know the right term?) meant for the Woodpeckers and Jays. Now it was my chance, I thought. I checked the settings and then slowly moved my camera. The head of the eagle appeared in the viewfinder. I took a picture. The bird took fright of the sound of the shutter and jumped on its wings. I looked at the monitor. There it was, and it looked quite sharp. I dared to breathe again. The eagle made a few rounds above the canyon and then landed on the top of a pine. I got some photos of that situation also, you can see them on my website in the “latest” section.
Getting to photograph an adult Golden Eagle is something very, very special, but when the situation comes to you "spontaneously" and without you expecting it, the feeling is undescribable. For once I really was in the right place in the right time.
Oh yes, forgot to answer those questions
No, I didn't use a flash.
I haven't cropped this much. I don't know how you get to see the crop percentages in Photoshop. But lets put it this way, the middle point of the original is right below the eye, about between the yellow mouth and that small white spot. So I took some empty space from the up and the left. On the photo on my website (at the front page) I cropped only from the top. Did this explanation make any sense?
Posted by Paul Inglis on March 7, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Hi Antti,
Great story - all made sense too me!
Posted by Paul Ashton on March 7, 2008 at 12:51 PM
It's moments like the one described that make this hobby at times quite magical.
Discussion
17 repliesNikon D70
Nikkor AF-S 300/4
ISO 250 f/7.1 1/80 sec.
amazing detail, is this a captive bird? and did you use any flash?
John
Suberb capture? I'd like to know the above question too!
But on the other hand, this situation is propably one of the best experiences I've had on my nature photography "career", so here's the story anyway (sorry about some mistakes in the language):
On sunday I visited Hannu Hautala’s (a famous “veteran” nature photographer in Finland) hide in Posio Korouoma canyon. There’s a feeder where you have a possibility to photograph Black Woodpecker, Siberian Jays and other smaller birds. After a hot and sweaty half an hour walk (I was wearing one pullover too much) I reached the hide and stopped to take a look at the hide which was standing just a couple of meters away from the edge of a cliff. Then I noticed a brown thing in front of the hide, just about 4 meters away from me. While still trying to identify the subject it moved. Suddenly I realized I was staring at the head of an adult Golden Eagle. My camera was in my backpack, would I be able to reach it in time? Well, the eagle gave me the answer. It turned it’s head, noticed me and flew away. Phew, what an experience! Those only happen in your dreams.
Well, i went in to the hide and got quite a few nice photos of Black Woodpeckers, which was the main target species on this trip. I was photographing a femal BW, when suddenly all the birds fled. I looked out of the window and saw how a Golden Eagle made a turn in the middle of the canyon, came straight towards me and landed just a couple of meters away from the hide. I slowly backed away from the window. At this moment I started to notice some serious shake in my hands and my pulse rose quite a bit.
I looked at the camera. I was relieved to notice that it was pointing to that exact place, where now just about two meters away was sitting an adult Golden Eagle. The body was attached to a 300mm lens...
I waited for a while. Then I heard a small sound and looked out of the window. The eagle was eating the fat (I don’t know the right term?) meant for the Woodpeckers and Jays. Now it was my chance, I thought. I checked the settings and then slowly moved my camera. The head of the eagle appeared in the viewfinder. I took a picture. The bird took fright of the sound of the shutter and jumped on its wings. I looked at the monitor. There it was, and it looked quite sharp. I dared to breathe again. The eagle made a few rounds above the canyon and then landed on the top of a pine. I got some photos of that situation also, you can see them on my website in the “latest” section.
Getting to photograph an adult Golden Eagle is something very, very special, but when the situation comes to you "spontaneously" and without you expecting it, the feeling is undescribable. For once I really was in the right place in the right time.
No, I didn't use a flash.
I haven't cropped this much. I don't know how you get to see the crop percentages in Photoshop. But lets put it this way, the middle point of the original is right below the eye, about between the yellow mouth and that small white spot. So I took some empty space from the up and the left. On the photo on my website (at the front page) I cropped only from the top. Did this explanation make any sense?
Great story - all made sense too me!
A beautiful image and one to treasure.
Paul
John
Aberdeen
What a great experience. A fine image and the story adds another dimension to my enjoyment of it.
Greg